Automatic walking device turning method and device and automatic walking device

Abstract

The embodiment of the present specification provides a kind of automatic walking equipment steering method, device and automatic walking equipment.The automatic walking equipment includes at least one steering wheel, the method includes: in the case where steering condition is satisfied, the automatic walking equipment is controlled to walk backwards;The steering wheel is rotated to the first rotation angle in the process that the automatic walking equipment walks backwards;The angle between the orientation of the automatic walking equipment and the first travel direction of the automatic walking equipment is adjusted to the first preset angle under the drive of the steering wheel;The orientation of the automatic walking equipment is the front of the automatic walking equipment;The first travel direction is the direction that the automatic walking equipment walks straight ahead;The first rotation angle and the first preset angle are non-zero angle.The above-mentioned method improves the flexibility of the automatic walking equipment steering, reduces the wear degree of working area in the steering process, and ensures the effective work.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present specification relate to the technical field of intelligent devices, in particular to an automatic walking device turning method and device and an automatic walking device. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid development of computer technology and artificial intelligence technology, intelligent automatic walking devices are well known. Since the automatic walking devices can automatically execute the pre-set tasks according to the pre-set programs without human operation and intervention, they are widely used in industrial applications and home products. The industrial applications include robots performing various functions, and the home product applications include lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, and sweeping robots. These intelligent automatic walking devices greatly save people's time and bring great convenience to industrial production and home life.

[0003] Automatic walking devices usually need to work within a certain range, i.e., in a working area. For example, a lawn mower will mow a lawn area. When approaching the boundary of the lawn area, the lawn mower will turn to avoid driving out of the lawn area. However, when the automatic walking device reaches the boundary or encounters an obstacle and is ready to turn, it often needs to turn with a larger radius and has fewer selectable movement paths if it backs up first and then turns. Even if it turns with a small radius through multiple adjustments, it will cause greater wear to the turning area. In particular, when the working area is a grassland, carpet, or other easily damaged area, the above process will have a greater impact on the working area. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method that reduces the impact of the automatic walking device on the working area when turning. SUMMARY

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present specification is to provide an automatic walking device turning method, device, and automatic walking device to reduce the impact of the automatic walking device on the working area when turning and have more selectable movement paths to improve the flexibility of the automatic walking device turning.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present specification provides an automatic walking device turning method, the automatic walking device comprising at least one turning wheel; the method comprising: controlling the automatic walking device to walk backward when the turning condition is met; the turning wheel rotates to a first rotation angle during the automatic walking device walking backward; the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the driving of the turning wheel; the orientation of the automatic walking device is the front of the automatic walking device; the first advancing direction is the direction of the automatic walking device walking straight ahead; and the first rotation angle and the first preset angle are non-zero angles.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the embodiments of the present specification also provide an automatic walking device, comprising: a driving device for driving the automatic walking device to travel; the driving device comprises at least one steering wheel that can rotate an angle; a control device for controlling the automatic walking device to walk backward under the condition that a steering condition is met; the steering wheel rotates to a first rotation angle in the process of the automatic walking device walking backward; the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first travel direction of the automatic walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the drive of the steering wheel; the orientation of the automatic walking device is the front of the automatic walking device; the first travel direction is the direction of the automatic walking device walking straight ahead; and the first rotation angle and the first preset angle are non-zero angles.

[0007] To solve the above problems, the embodiments of the present specification also provide an automatic walking device, comprising: a driving device for driving the automatic walking device to travel; the driving device comprises at least one steering wheel that can rotate an angle; a control device for controlling the automatic walking device to walk backward under the condition that a steering condition is met; the steering wheel rotates to a first rotation angle in the process of the automatic walking device walking backward; the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first travel direction of the automatic walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the drive of the steering wheel; the orientation of the automatic walking device is the front of the automatic walking device; the first travel direction is the direction of the automatic walking device walking straight ahead; and the first rotation angle and the first preset angle are non-zero angles.

[0008] From the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present specification, it can be seen that in the embodiments of the present specification, when the automatic walking device needs to turn, the automatic walking device can walk backward and rotate the steering wheel in the process of walking backward to adjust the orientation of the automatic walking device. Accordingly, after walking backward for a certain distance, the automatic walking device can adjust its own orientation to achieve the effect of moving away from the boundary or turning from multiple paths, thereby solving the problem in the prior art that the automatic walking device has a greater impact on the working area and has fewer moving path options when turning, reducing the wear on the working area during the turning process of the automatic walking device, and having more selectable moving paths, improving the flexibility of the automatic walking device turning, and facilitating the normal work of the automatic walking device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present specification or the prior art, the drawings needed in the embodiments or the prior art description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments described in the present specification, and those skilled in the art can also obtain other drawings according to these drawings without creating any creative labor.

[0010] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an example scenario for an embodiment of the present description;

[0011] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an automatic walking device for an embodiment of the present description;

[0012] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the position of an automatic walking device when a turning condition is met for an embodiment of the present description;

[0013] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the process of turning back for an automatic walking device for an embodiment of the present description;

[0014] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the process of turning forward for an automatic walking device for an embodiment of the present description;

[0015] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the process of turning forward when the turning wheel rotates to a fourth rotation angle for an embodiment of the present description;

[0016] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the process of turning forward when the turning wheel rotates to a second rotation angle for an embodiment of the present description;

[0017] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the process of turning forward after the turning wheel rotates to a second rotation angle for an embodiment of the present description;

[0018] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of an automatic walking device leaving a working boundary for an embodiment of the present description;

[0019] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the process of turning forward when the turning wheel rotates to a fifth rotation angle for an embodiment of the present description;

[0020] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of leaving a working boundary when the turning wheel rotates to a third rotation angle for an embodiment of the present description;

[0021] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of an automatic walking device returning to a straight walking state for an embodiment of the present description;

[0022] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of an automatic walking device repeatedly turning when encountering a working boundary for an embodiment of the present description;

[0023] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of an automatic walking device for an embodiment of the present description;

[0024] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of the position of an automatic walking device when a turning condition is met for an embodiment of the present description;

[0025] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of a reverse turning process of an automatic walking device according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0026] Figure 17 A schematic diagram of a forward turning process when the steering wheel rotates to a fourth rotation angle according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0027] Figure 18 A schematic diagram of a forward turning process when the steering wheel rotates to a second rotation angle according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0028] Figure 19 A schematic diagram of a forward turning process after the steering wheel rotates to a second rotation angle according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0029] Figure 20 A schematic diagram of a forward turning process when the steering wheel rotates to a fifth rotation angle according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0030] Figure 21 A schematic diagram of a driving-off working boundary when the wheel rotates to a third rotation angle according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0031] Figure 22 A schematic diagram of an automatic walking device recovering to a straight walking state according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0032] Figure 23 A schematic diagram of an automatic walking device turning multiple times when encountering a working boundary according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0033] Figure 24 A schematic diagram of a position of an automatic walking device when a turning condition is met according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0034] Figure 25 A schematic diagram of a reverse turning process of an automatic walking device according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0035] Figure 26 A schematic diagram of a forward turning process when the steering wheel rotates to a sixth rotation angle according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0036] Figure 27 A schematic diagram of a forward turning process after the steering wheel rotates to a sixth rotation angle according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0037] Figure 28 A schematic diagram of an automatic walking device driving forward based on a path departure according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0038] Figure 29 A flowchart of a turning method of an automatic walking device according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0039] Figure 30Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a functional module of a turning device of an automatic walking device according to an embodiment of the present specification.

[0040] Reference signs:

[0041] 1, turning wheel; 2, body; 3, left drive wheel; 4, right drive wheel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present specification will be described clearly and completely below in combination with the drawings in the embodiments of the present specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present specification, but not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present specification, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor should belong to the scope of protection of the present specification.

[0043] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as "provided on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can be a middle element. When an element is referred to as "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there can be a middle element. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in the present specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. The terms used in the present specification are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used in the present specification includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0045] In the embodiments of the present specification, the automatic walking device can be a robot in industry, such as performing various functions, a device in garden tools, such as a lawn mower, an automatic snow sweeper, etc.; a device in household products, such as a dust collector, a sweeping robot, etc. The automatic walking device is provided with a driving device, such as a plurality of drive wheels, for driving the automatic walking device to move, so that the automatic walking device can work in a working area. For example, a lawn mower can perform mowing work in a lawn area, a sweeping robot can perform sweeping and cleaning work in a to-be-cleaned area, etc. These working areas usually include boundaries, and the automatic walking device can identify the boundary position and turn after approaching the boundary position to avoid walking out of the working area.

[0046] Currently, the steering mode of the automatic walking device is usually 2-wheel drive, which realizes steering through the differential of the driving wheels, or 4-wheel drive, which realizes steering through the differential of the driving wheels. Specifically, when the automatic walking device approaches the boundary of the working area, it will straightly back up for a distance to reserve a steering space, and after the back-up is completed, it will realize steering through the differential of the driving wheels to get out of the boundary during the process of continuing to move forward.

[0047] However, the current steering mode often needs to move with a large radius, which leads to poor passing ability of the automatic walking device and fewer selectable moving paths. Even if small-radius steering is achieved through multiple adjustments, it will also cause great wear to the steering area. Especially when the working area is a grassland, carpet or other easily damaged area, the above process will all have a great impact on the working area. Based on this, the embodiments of the present specification provide an automatic walking device steering method, device and automatic walking device to reduce the impact of the automatic walking device on the working area during steering, increase the selectable moving paths and improve the flexibility of the automatic walking device steering.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 1 In one scenario example, the automatic walking device moves forward in a certain direction in the working area to work normally.

[0049] In this scenario example, the direction in which the automatic walking device moves forward in a straight line in the working area can be defined as a first moving direction. The front of the automatic walking device can be defined as the orientation of the automatic walking device. During the process of the automatic walking device moving forward in the first moving direction, it can be judged whether the steering condition is met, and in the case that the steering condition is met, the automatic walking device is controlled to move backward, the steering wheel is rotated to a first preset angle during the process of the automatic walking device moving backward, and the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first moving direction of the automatic walking device is adjusted to the first preset angle under the driving of the steering wheel. The first rotation angle and the first preset angle are both non-zero angles.

[0050] Specifically, the steering wheel can be gradually rotated to the first rotation angle during the process of the automatic walking device moving backward, thereby reducing the wear caused by the steering wheel to the working area during the rotation process. When the working area is a grassland or other easily damaged area, directly steering the steering wheel in place will crush the grassland, thereby causing damage to the grassland. Therefore, by rotating the steering wheel during the process of the automatic walking device moving backward, the impact of the automatic walking device on the working area can be effectively controlled, and better working effect can be achieved, for example, when the working area is a grassland, the wear to the grassland can be effectively improved. On the other hand, after the steering wheel moves backward, its position is also effectively adjusted, which is conducive to subsequent steering along more paths.

[0051] Preferably, the steering wheel includes an active steering wheel, meaning the steering wheel can rotate to a corresponding angle independently under the control of the control module. For example, a drive motor corresponding to the steering wheel can be installed inside the automated walking device, and the drive motor can be used to change the orientation of the steering wheel. With the steering wheel able to rotate to the corresponding angle independently, the orientation of the steering wheel does not need to be adjusted entirely based on the speed difference of the drive wheels, thus achieving a more precise and effective orientation of the steering wheel, thereby driving the orientation change of the automated walking device.

[0052] In some scenario examples, the automated walking device often needs to turn to avoid leaving the work area. Therefore, the turning condition can be a preset distance between the automated walking device and the work boundary. That is, when the automated walking device is at the preset distance from the work boundary, the turning condition is met, and the automated walking device is controlled to move backward. During the backward movement of the automated walking device, the steering wheel rotates to a first rotation angle, and the angle between the orientation of the automated walking device and the first direction of travel of the automated walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the action of the steering wheel. The preset distance can be 20cm, 50cm, etc. Of course, the preset distance can also be 0cm, that is, the turning condition is met when the automated walking device comes into contact with the work boundary.

[0053] In other scenario examples, when the automated walking device is working in the work area, in addition to needing to turn to avoid leaving the work area, it may encounter other situations requiring turning, such as encountering insurmountable obstacles or having its battery level below a preset value, in which case it needs to turn back to the charging station for charging. Different turning conditions can be set for these situations, such as meeting the turning condition when the automated walking device touches an obstacle or when its battery level is below a preset value. Of course, turning conditions can also be set based on other situations; this scenario example does not limit this.

[0054] like Figure 1 As shown, position 1 is the position of the automatic walking device when the turning conditions are met. At this time, the automatic walking device can be controlled to move backward. During the backward movement of the automatic walking device, the steering wheel rotates to a first rotation angle, and the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first direction of travel of the automatic walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the action of the steering wheel. After the automatic walking device moves backward a preset distance, the automatic walking device reverses to position 2.

[0055] In some scenario examples of this application, an automatic walking device and its steering method are proposed that can reduce the impact on the work area during turning and can turn with a small radius to improve the ability to pass through small work areas.

[0056] In the scenario example, after controlling the automatic walking device to retreat a preset distance to position 2, it can be controlled to move forward along a direction that reduces the first preset angle. This improves wear on the working area during turning and allows for turning with a small radius, enhancing its ability to traverse small working areas. Specifically, during the automatic walking device's movement along the direction that reduces the first preset angle, if the device's orientation is a second direction of travel, it is controlled to move forward along that direction. The angle between the second and first directions of travel is the second preset angle, which can be, for example, 70 degrees, 90 degrees, 150 degrees, or 180 degrees, to meet different turning requirements. For example, if the turning requirement is to walk along the work boundary, the second preset angle can be 90 degrees; if the turning requirement is to turn around, the second preset angle can be 180 degrees. Specifically, the automatic walking device can move from position 2 through position 3 until it reaches position 4. At this point, the device's orientation is the second direction of travel, and it moves forward along that direction to achieve turning. During the process of the automatic walking device moving from position 2 to position 3 along the direction that reduces the first preset angle, until it reaches position 4, the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first direction of travel of the automatic walking device gradually decreases from the first preset angle to zero degrees. When the automatic walking device reaches position 3, the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first direction of travel of the automatic walking device changes from zero degrees to a negative angle until it reaches position 4.

[0057] like Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an automated walking device as an example of the aforementioned scenario. The automated walking device may include a drive unit for driving the device to move.

[0058] In some embodiments, the drive device may include a rotatable steering wheel 1. The steering wheel 1 may be located at the central axis of the body 2; the steering wheel 1 can rotate. The direction of travel of the automatic walking device can be controlled by rotating and adjusting the angle of the steering wheel 1.

[0059] In some embodiments, the rotation angle of the steering wheel 1 can be defined as the angle between the radial direction of the steering wheel 1 and the central axis of the machine body 2. The steering wheel 1 can rotate, and when the angle between the steering wheel 1 and the central axis is 0 degrees, i.e., the steering wheel 1 is in the same straight line position as the central axis, the automatic walking device can walk in a straight line, such as walking forward or walking backward in a straight line. The steering wheel 1 can rotate 180 degrees, i.e., the steering wheel 1 can rotate to any position within 0-90 degrees in the counterclockwise direction and any position within 0-90 degrees in the clockwise direction when the angle is 0 degrees.

[0060] In some embodiments, the driving device can further include a plurality of driving wheels, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the automatic walking device based on the central axis of the automatic walking device; and the steering wheel 1 and the plurality of driving wheels are arranged in a triangular shape. As shown in the figure, the plurality of driving wheels can be two, i.e., a left driving wheel 3 and a right driving wheel 4, which are arranged on both sides of the machine body 2 with the central axis as the symmetric axis and arranged in a triangular shape with the steering wheel 1. By arranging the steering wheel 1 and the plurality of driving wheels in a triangular shape, compared with the symmetric arrangement of 2 wheels and 4 wheels in the prior art, the stability of the automatic walking device can be increased, and at the same time, the automatic walking device can turn with a smaller turning radius, improving the flexibility of turning of the automatic walking device. Figure 2

[0061] In some embodiments, the automatic walking device can further include a control device, which can be a processor. The processor can be a central processing unit (CPU), and can also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or the processor can also be any conventional processor or the like.

[0062] ​In some embodiments, the control device is configured to control the automatic walking device to move backward when a turning condition is met, such that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first direction of travel of the automatic walking device is a first preset angle; the orientation of the automatic walking device is directly in front of the automatic walking device; the first direction of travel is the direction in which the automatic walking device moves forward in a straight line; the first preset angle is a non-zero angle; after the automatic walking device moves backward a first preset distance, the control device is configured to move forward in a direction that reduces the first preset angle.

[0063] Specifically, the automated walking device typically travels in a straight line while working within the work area, but various reasons may necessitate it turning. For example, when the automated walking device reaches the boundary of the work area, such as... Figure 3 As shown. To avoid driving out of the work area, the automated walking device needs to turn when it approaches or touches the work boundary; or, if the battery level of the automated walking device is lower than a preset value and the charging station is not in the direction of travel of the automated walking device, the automated walking device needs to turn and travel to the charging station for charging, etc. Of course, the automated walking device may encounter other situations requiring turning during its journey, which are not listed in this specification.

[0064] In some embodiments, turning conditions can be set based on the need for the automated walking device to turn. When the turning conditions are met, a turning operation can be triggered. The turning condition can be a preset distance between the automated walking device and the boundary of the working area; that is, when the automated walking device is at a preset distance from the working boundary, the turning condition is met, and the automated walking device is controlled to move backward, so that the angle between the orientation of the automated walking device and the first direction of travel of the automated walking device is a first preset angle. The preset distance can be 20cm, 50cm, etc. Of course, the preset distance can also be 0cm, that is, the turning condition is met when the automated walking device contacts the boundary of the working area.

[0065] In some embodiments, determining whether the distance between the automated walking device and the boundary of the work area is a preset distance can be supported by incorporating other hardware into the automated walking device. For example, the automated walking device may further include a boundary sensing device. The boundary sensing device may consist of at least one sensor. The boundary sensing device can determine the distance between the automated walking device and the boundary of the work area. Specifically, the control device can determine the distance between the automated walking device and the boundary of the work area based on boundary-related data detected by the sensors.

[0066] In some embodiments, different types of boundaries can be set for the working area. For example, the boundaries can be virtual field boundaries such as infrared rays, magnetic strips, etc., and can also be obstacle boundaries such as walls, fences, etc. Different boundary sensing devices can be set for different types of boundaries to accurately determine the distance between the automatic walking device and the working boundary. For example, if the boundary is an infrared ray, the boundary sensing device can include an infrared sensor that can sense the infrared ray when the automatic walking device contacts the working boundary. Whether the infrared ray is sensed can determine whether the automatic walking device contacts the working boundary. If the working boundary is a magnetic strip, the boundary sensing device can include a magnetic induction sensor that can detect different sizes of magnetic induction strength based on the distance between the automatic walking device and the boundary, and the distance between the automatic walking device and the working boundary can be determined according to the size of the magnetic induction strength. If the boundary is a wall, a fence or other obstacle boundary, the boundary sensing device can include an obstacle detection sensor such as a reflective photoelectric switch, an ultrasonic sensor, a proximity switch, etc. The distance between the automatic walking device and the working boundary can be determined based on the detection data of the obstacle detection sensor. Of course, the working boundary can also be other types of boundaries, and the boundary sensing device is adapted to the type of the boundary to accurately determine the distance between the automatic walking device and the working boundary.

[0067] In some embodiments, the turning condition can also be that the power of the automatic walking device is lower than a preset value, i.e. when the power of the automatic walking device is lower than the preset value, the turning condition is met, the automatic walking device is controlled to walk backward, and the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is a first preset angle. The preset value can be 10%, 20%, etc. of the full power.

[0068] In some embodiments, how to determine whether the power of the automatic walking device is lower than the preset value can be supported by setting other hardware in the automatic walking device. For example, the automatic walking device can also include a power management device. The power management device can send the power remaining condition to the control device so that the control device determines whether the power of the automatic walking device is lower than the preset value.

[0069] In some embodiments, when the turning condition is met, the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk backward, so that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is a first preset angle, such as Figure 1The automatic walking device is in a state of position 2. At this time, the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is a first preset angle. The orientation of the automatic walking device is the front direction of the automatic walking device, that is, the direction in which the center axis of the machine body 2 points to the front of the machine body 2.

[0070] In some embodiments, the control device can make the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device be the first preset angle based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel 1 of the automatic walking device. Specifically, the steering wheel of the automatic walking device can be rotated to a first rotation angle during the process of the automatic walking device walking backward, so that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is the first preset angle. As shown in FIG. 1, wherein path 1 is the walking path of the automatic walking device during the process of walking backward, and θ1 is the first rotation angle. By making the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device be the first preset angle, more steering space can be reserved for the automatic walking device, so as to improve the flexibility of steering. Figure 4

[0071] In some embodiments, when the steering condition is met, the steering wheel 1 can be first rotated to the first rotation angle when the state of the automatic walking device changes from advancing along the first advancing direction to the stopped state, and then the automatic walking device is controlled to walk backward. Of course, adjusting the angle of the steering wheel 1 in the stopped state of the automatic walking device will accelerate the wear of the steering wheel 1 and cause wear to the working area. In order to reduce the wear of the steering wheel and the wear to the working area, the angle of the steering wheel 1 can be rotated while the automatic walking device is controlled to walk backward, that is, the steering wheel 1 is rotated to the first rotation angle during the process of walking backward, so that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is the first preset angle.

[0072] In some embodiments, the control device can also make the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device be the first preset angle based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel 1 of the automatic walking device and the differential of the plurality of driving wheels of the automatic walking device. Specifically, the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device can be made to be the first preset angle by simultaneously rotating the angle of the steering wheel 1 and the differential of the plurality of driving wheels of the automatic walking device during the process of the automatic walking device walking backward.

[0073] ​In some embodiments, after the automatic walking device walks back for the first preset distance, the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that reduces the first preset angle. As Figure 1 In some embodiments, the automatic walking device walks from position 2 to position 3, and then to position 4, which is the process of controlling the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that reduces the first preset angle.

[0074] In some embodiments, the automatic walking device can include a travel distance calculation device for calculating the travel distance of the automatic walking device. The travel distance calculation device can be composed of a timer, a counter, an odometer, etc. Preferably, the travel distance calculation device can calculate the travel distance of the steering wheel 1, and the travel distance of the steering wheel 1 is the travel distance of the automatic walking device.

[0075] In some embodiments, after the automatic walking device walks back for the first preset distance, the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that reduces the first preset angle based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel 1 of the automatic walking device, so as to adjust the forward direction of the automatic walking device. Of course, the control device can also control the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that reduces the first preset angle based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device and the differential of the plurality of drive wheels of the automatic walking device, so as to adjust the forward direction of the automatic walking device.

[0076] In some embodiments, the control of the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that reduces the first preset angle based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel 1 of the automatic walking device can include: rotating the steering wheel in a direction that increases the first rotation angle to a second rotation angle during the forward walking of the automatic walking device; the second rotation angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees; rotating the steering wheel in a direction that reduces the second rotation angle to a third rotation angle during the walking of the automatic walking device for a second preset distance according to the second rotation angle. This embodiment can realize the walking of the automatic walking device in a direction that reduces the first preset angle; wherein the third rotation angle is greater than or equal to zero. Specifically, the automatic walking device can turn based on a larger second rotation angle during forward turning, and the automatic walking device has completed a part of turning when the automatic walking device walks for a second preset distance according to the second rotation angle, at which time the angle of the steering wheel 1 can be returned to a smaller third rotation angle for continuous travel.

[0077] In some embodiments, the travel process of rotating the steering wheel in a direction that increases the first rotation angle to a second rotation angle during the forward walking of the automatic walking device is as follows: Figure 5As shown, path x is the walking path of the automatic walking device during the forward turning process, and θ3 is the second rotation angle, at which the automatic walking device has completed a part of the turning.

[0078] In some embodiments, the turning wheel can be rotated to the second rotation angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle before the automatic walking device starts to walk. Of course, in order to reduce the wear of the turning wheel and the wear of the working area, the turning wheel can be rotated in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle while the automatic walking device is walking forward, so as to rotate the turning wheel to the second rotation angle during the forward walking of the automatic walking device.

[0079] In some embodiments, in order to further improve the turning flexibility of the automatic walking device and reduce the wear of the turning wheel and the wear of the working area, the control device can rotate the turning wheel in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle for multiple times during the forward walking of the automatic walking device, so as to rotate the turning wheel to the second rotation angle. Specifically, the control device can rotate the turning wheel for multiple times, i.e. only by a small angle each time, so as to rotate the turning wheel to the second rotation angle after multiple rotations.

[0080] In some embodiments, preferably, the control device can rotate the turning wheel in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle for two times during the forward walking of the automatic walking device, so as to rotate the turning wheel to the second rotation angle. The control device can first rotate the turning wheel to a small angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle, and then rotate the turning wheel to the second rotation angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle after walking a distance according to the small angle.

[0081] Specifically, during the forward walking of the automatic walking device, the turning wheel 1 can be first rotated to a fourth rotation angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle. As shown in Figure 6 As shown, path 2 is the walking path of the automatic walking device during the forward walking according to the fourth rotation angle, and θ2 is the fourth rotation angle. When the automatic walking device walks a third preset distance according to the fourth rotation angle, the turning wheel is rotated to the second rotation angle in the direction of increasing the fourth rotation angle. As shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, path 3 is the walking path of the automatic walking device when the angle of the steering wheel changes from the fourth rotation angle θ2 to the second rotation angle θ3 during the forward movement of the device; path 4 is the walking path of the automatic walking device when the angle of the steering wheel is the second rotation angle θ3; therefore, the second preset distance can be the sum of the lengths of path 2, path 3 and path 4.

[0082] In some embodiments, when the automatic walking device has traveled a second preset distance according to the second rotation angle, the automatic walking device has completed a portion of the turning, and at this time the angle of the steering wheel 1 can be returned to a smaller third rotation angle to continue traveling. For example... Figure 9 As shown, θ5 is the third rotation angle, and path y is the travel path when the steering wheel rotates to the third rotation angle θ5. Here, θ5 is greater than or equal to zero degrees.

[0083] In some embodiments, to further improve the steering flexibility of the automated walking device and reduce wear on the steering wheels and the working area, the control device can rotate the steering wheels multiple times in the direction that reduces the second rotation angle during the forward movement of the automated walking device, so that the steering wheels are rotated to the third rotation angle. Specifically, the control device can rotate the steering wheel multiple times, that is, rotate only a small angle each time, and after multiple rotations, the angle of the steering wheel reaches the third rotation angle.

[0084] In some embodiments, preferably, the control device can rotate the steering wheel twice along the direction that reduces the second rotation angle during the movement of the automatic walking device, so that the steering wheel is rotated to the third rotation angle. The control device can first rotate the steering wheel to a smaller angle along the direction that reduces the second rotation angle, then move forward and turn a certain distance according to the smaller angle, and then rotate the steering wheel to the third rotation angle along the direction that reduces the second rotation angle.

[0085] Specifically, during the forward movement of the automated walking device, the steering wheel 1 can first be rotated to a fifth rotation angle in a direction that reduces the second rotation angle. For example... Figure 10 As shown, path 5 is the walking path of the automatic walking device during its forward movement according to the fifth rotation angle, and θ4 is the fifth rotation angle. When the automatic walking device has traveled a fourth preset distance according to the fifth rotation angle, the steering wheel is rotated to the third rotation angle in a direction that reduces the fifth rotation angle. Figure 11 As shown, path 6 is the walking path of the automatic walking device when the angle of the steering wheel changes from the fifth rotation angle θ4 to the third rotation angle θ5 during the forward movement of the device.

[0086] In some embodiments, the control device can also be configured to, during the process that the automatic walking device walks in the direction that reduces the first preset angle, control the automatic walking device to walk in a second walking direction if the orientation of the automatic walking device is the second walking direction. The second walking direction forms a second preset angle with the first walking direction, and the second preset angle can be, for example, 70 degrees, 90 degrees, 150 degrees, 180 degrees, etc. to meet different turning requirements. For example, the turning requirement is to walk along the working boundary, and the second preset angle can be 90 degrees. For example, the turning requirement is to make a U-turn, and the second preset angle can be 180 degrees.

[0087] In some embodiments, the control device can also be configured to, during the process that the automatic walking device walks in the direction that reduces the first preset angle, control the automatic walking device to walk in a second walking direction if the orientation of the automatic walking device is the second walking direction. The second walking direction forms a second preset angle with the first walking direction, and the second preset angle can be, for example, 70 degrees, 90 degrees, 150 degrees, 180 degrees, etc. to meet different turning requirements. For example, the turning requirement is to walk along the working boundary, and the second preset angle can be 90 degrees. For example, the turning requirement is to make a U-turn, and the second preset angle can be 180 degrees.

[0088] In some embodiments, the control device can also be configured to, during the process that the automatic walking device walks in the direction that reduces the first preset angle, control the automatic walking device to walk in a second walking direction if the orientation of the automatic walking device is the second walking direction. The second walking direction forms a second preset angle with the first walking direction, and the second preset angle can be, for example, 70 degrees, 90 degrees, 150 degrees, 180 degrees, etc. to meet different turning requirements. For example, the turning requirement is to walk along the working boundary, and the second preset angle can be 90 degrees. For example, the turning requirement is to make a U-turn, and the second preset angle can be 180 degrees. Figure 12 As shown in FIG. 7, the path 7 is the path that the automatic walking device walks in the second walking direction.

[0089] Figure 13This diagram illustrates a scenario where the automated walking device repeatedly encounters a boundary and needs to turn. In this scenario, the turning requirement can be a U-turn, and the second preset angle can be 180 degrees. The automated walking device provided in this embodiment can, when the turning conditions are met, control the device to move backward, such that the angle between the device's orientation and its first direction of travel is a first preset angle; the device's orientation is directly forward; the first direction of travel is the direction in which the device moves forward in a straight line; the first preset angle is a non-zero angle; after moving backward a first preset distance, control the device to move forward in a direction that reduces the first preset angle; when the device's orientation is a second direction of travel, control the device to move forward in the second direction of travel; the angle between the second direction of travel and the first direction of travel is a second preset angle. This solves the problem of excessively large turning radii in the prior art, allowing the automated walking device to turn with a smaller turning radius and improving its turning flexibility.

[0090] In some embodiments, the left drive wheel 3 and the right drive wheel 4 may be the rear wheels of the automated walking device, and the steering wheel 1 may be the front wheels of the automated walking device. Figure 2 As shown. Figures 1-13 This is one implementation method where the left drive wheel 3 and right drive wheel 4 are the rear wheels of the automatic walking device, and the steering wheel 1 is the front wheel. Of course, the left drive wheel 3 and right drive wheel 4 can also be the front wheels of the automatic walking device, and the steering wheel 1 can be the rear wheel. In this case, the steering method of the automatic walking device is similar to the aforementioned implementation method.

[0091] Below, through Figures 14-23 This describes an implementation method where the left drive wheel 3 and the right drive wheel 4 are the front wheels of the automatic walking device, and the steering wheel 1 is the rear wheel of the automatic walking device.

[0092] like Figure 14 As shown, Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automatic walking device according to an embodiment of this specification.

[0093] In some embodiments, the left drive wheel 3 and the right drive wheel 4 are the front wheels of the automatic walking device, and the steering wheel 1 is the rear wheel of the automatic walking device. Except for the different relative positions of the left drive wheel 3 and the right drive wheel 4 with the steering wheel 1, the automatic walking device and... Figure 3The automatic walking device shown is the same. The automatic walking device can also include a boundary sensing device, a travel distance calculation device, a control device, etc.

[0094] In some embodiments, in the case where the turning condition is met, for example, the automatic walking device travels to the boundary of the working area, the control device can control the automatic walking device to turn back and walk. Figure 15 As shown, the control device can control the automatic walking device to turn back and walk, so that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first travel direction of the automatic walking device is a first preset angle.

[0095] Specifically, during the process of the automatic walking device turning back and walking, the steering wheel of the automatic walking device can be rotated to a first rotation angle, so that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first travel direction of the automatic walking device is a first preset angle. As shown, Figure 16 wherein path 1 is the walking path of the automatic walking device during the process of turning back, and a1 is the first rotation angle. By turning back, more turning space can be reserved for the automatic walking device, so as to improve the flexibility of turning.

[0096] In some embodiments, after the automatic walking device turns back and walks for a first preset distance, the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced. Specifically, the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel 1 of the automatic walking device, so as to adjust the forward direction of the automatic walking device. Of course, the control device can also control the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device and the differential of the plurality of drive wheels of the automatic walking device, so as to adjust the forward direction of the automatic walking device.

[0097] In some embodiments, the controlling the automatic walking device to walk in the direction that reduces the first preset angle based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device can include: rotating the steering wheel in the direction that increases the first rotation angle to a second rotation angle during the walking of the automatic walking device, the second rotation angle being less than or equal to 90 degrees; and rotating the steering wheel in the direction that reduces the second rotation angle to a third rotation angle when the automatic walking device walks a second preset distance according to the second rotation angle. This embodiment can realize the walking of the automatic walking device in the direction that reduces the first preset angle, and the third rotation angle is greater than or equal to zero. Specifically, the automatic walking device can steer based on a larger second rotation angle during the forward steering, and the automatic walking device has completed a part of steering when the automatic walking device walks the second preset distance according to the second rotation angle, and the steering wheel 1 can be returned to a smaller third rotation angle for further walking.

[0098] In some embodiments, to further improve the steering flexibility of the automatic walking device and reduce the wear of the steering wheel and the wear of the working area, the control device can rotate the steering wheel in the direction that increases the first rotation angle multiple times during the walking of the automatic walking device, so that the steering wheel is rotated to the second rotation angle. Specifically, the control device can rotate the steering wheel multiple times, i.e., each time only a smaller angle is rotated, and the steering wheel is rotated to the second rotation angle after multiple rotations.

[0099] In some embodiments, preferably, the control device can rotate the steering wheel in the direction that increases the first rotation angle twice during the walking of the automatic walking device in the forward direction, so that the steering wheel is rotated to the second rotation angle. The control device can first rotate the steering wheel in the direction that increases the first rotation angle to a smaller angle, and then rotate the steering wheel in the direction that increases the first rotation angle to the second rotation angle after walking a distance according to the smaller angle for forward steering.

[0100] Specifically, during the walking of the automatic walking device, the steering wheel 1 can be first rotated in the direction that increases the first rotation angle to a fourth rotation angle. As shown in FIG. 2B, path 2 is the walking path of the automatic walking device during the forward steering according to the fourth rotation angle, and a2 is the fourth rotation angle. The steering wheel is rotated in the direction that increases the fourth rotation angle to the second rotation angle when the automatic walking device walks a third preset distance according to the fourth rotation angle. Figure 17 Figure 18 and​Figure 19 As shown in FIG. 6, path 3 is the walking path of the automatic walking device when the angle of the steering wheel changes from the fourth rotation angle a2 to the second rotation angle a3 during the walking of the automatic walking device; path 4 is the walking path of the automatic walking device when the angle of the steering wheel is the second rotation angle a3. Thus, the second preset distance can be the sum of the lengths of path 2, path 3 and path 4.

[0101] In some embodiments, when the automatic walking device walks the second preset distance according to the second rotation angle, the automatic walking device has completed a part of the steering, and at this time, the angle of the steering wheel 1 can be returned to a smaller third rotation angle for continuing to walk.

[0102] In some embodiments, in order to further improve the steering flexibility of the automatic walking device and reduce the wear of the steering wheel and the wear caused to the working area, the control device can rotate the steering wheel in a direction that reduces the second rotation angle multiple times during the walking of the automatic walking device, so as to rotate the steering wheel to the third rotation angle. Specifically, the control device can rotate the angle of the steering wheel multiple times, i.e., only a smaller angle each time, and through multiple rotations, the angle of the steering wheel reaches the third rotation angle.

[0103] In some embodiments, preferably, the control device can rotate the steering wheel in a direction that reduces the second rotation angle twice during the walking of the automatic walking device, so as to rotate the steering wheel to the third rotation angle. The control device can first rotate the steering wheel in a direction that reduces the second rotation angle to a smaller angle, and then according to the smaller angle, walk a distance for steering, and then rotate the steering wheel in a direction that reduces the second rotation angle to the third rotation angle.

[0104] Specifically, during the walking of the automatic walking device, the steering wheel 1 can be first rotated in a direction that reduces the second rotation angle to a fifth rotation angle. As shown in FIG. 7, path 5 is the walking path of the automatic walking device during the walking according to the fifth rotation angle, and a4 is the fifth rotation angle. When the automatic walking device walks a fourth preset distance according to the fifth rotation angle, the steering wheel is rotated in a direction that reduces the fifth rotation angle to the third rotation angle. As shown in FIG. 8, path 6 is the walking path of the automatic walking device during the walking of the automatic walking device when the angle of the steering wheel changes from the fifth rotation angle a4 to the third rotation angle a5. Wherein, a5 is greater than or equal to zero degrees. Figure 20 Figure 21

[0105] ​​In some embodiments, the control device can also be configured to control the automatic walking device to walk in a second walking direction if the orientation of the automatic walking device is the second walking direction during the process of walking the automatic walking device in a direction that reduces the first preset angle. The included angle between the second walking direction and the first walking direction is a second preset angle, which can be 70 degrees, 90 degrees, 150 degrees, 180 degrees, etc. to meet different turning requirements. For example, if the turning requirement is to walk along the working boundary, the second preset angle can be 90 degrees; if the turning requirement is to make a U-turn, the second preset angle can be 180 degrees.

[0106] In some embodiments, the orientation of the automatic walking device can be determined to be the second walking direction when the automatic walking device walks a seventh preset distance in a direction that reduces the first preset angle, and the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk in the second walking direction. Specifically, the steering wheel can be rotated to zero degrees to make the automatic walking device walk straight in the second walking direction.

[0107] In some embodiments, the orientation of the automatic walking device can be determined to be the second walking direction when the automatic walking device walks an eighth preset distance based on the third rotation angle, and the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk straight in the second walking direction. Specifically, if the third rotation angle α5 is equal to zero degrees, the automatic walking device returns to the straight walking state, and the control device can control the automatic walking device to maintain the straight walking state and walk in the second walking direction. If the third rotation angle α5 is not equal to zero degrees, the control device can rotate the steering wheel 1 to zero degrees to make the automatic walking device walk straight in the second walking direction. As shown in Figure 22 The path 7 is the path of the automatic walking device walking straight in the second walking direction. Figure 23 A scene diagram for the automatic walking device encountering the boundary multiple times to turn.

[0108] In some scene examples of the present application, another method for effectively reducing the impact on the working area and controlling the turning of the automatic walking device is also proposed. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the automatic walking device when it is about to contact the working boundary or has contacted the working boundary is described. Figures 24-28 The automatic walking device is the same as the one shown in Figure 3 The automatic walking device can also include a boundary sensing device, a walking distance calculation device, a control device, etc.

[0109] AsFigure 25 As shown in FIG. 6, the automatic walking device meets the turning condition, and the automatic walking device walks to the boundary of the working area. If the automatic walking device continues to walk based on the original walking direction, the automatic walking device will contact or cross the working boundary, thereby affecting the normal work.

[0110] In some embodiments, when the turning condition is met, the automatic walking device can walk backward. As shown in FIG. 7, the control device controls the automatic walking device to walk backward in a direction away from the working boundary. During the process of the automatic walking device walking backward, the turning wheel gradually starts to rotate. As shown in FIG. 8, the automatic walking device walks along path 2, and the turning wheel rotates by an angle θ2. Figure 25 Figure 25 As shown in FIG. 9, the automatic walking device walks along path 1, and the turning wheel rotates by an angle θ1.

[0111] Preferably, when the turning wheel needs to rotate to a specific angle, for example, a first rotation angle, the turning wheel can gradually rotate to the first rotation angle during the process of the automatic walking device walking backward, thereby reducing the wear effect of the turning wheel on the working area during the rotation process. When the working area is a grassland or the like, which is relatively easy to be damaged, directly turning the turning wheel in place will crush the grassland, thereby causing damage to the grassland. Therefore, by rotating the turning wheel during the process of the automatic walking device walking backward, the influence of the automatic walking device on the working area can be effectively controlled, and better working effect can be achieved.

[0112] In actual application, the rotation speed of the turning wheel can also be adjusted according to the turning requirement, so as to respectively adapt to the effect of reducing the turning radius or reducing the wear degree. The specific adjustment mode is not described herein.

[0113] In some embodiments, after the turning wheel rotates to the first rotation angle, the orientation of the automatic walking device is also changed under the driving of the turning wheel, and the included angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first walking direction of the automatic walking device can be adjusted to a first preset angle. The orientation of the automatic walking device is the front direction of the automatic walking device; and the first walking direction is the direction in which the automatic walking device walks straight ahead. As shown in FIG. 10, the automatic walking device walks along path 3, and the included angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first walking direction of the automatic walking device is an angle θ3. Figure 26 ​As shown, the first rotation angle can be the θ2 angle in the figure, the orientation of the automatic walking device approaches the positive right direction in the figure, the first advancing direction is shown by the dotted line, at this time, the first preset angle can be a larger angle (such as close to 90 degrees). In some embodiments, after the automatic walking device walks backward by the fifth preset distance, the control module can control the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that keeps the first preset angle unchanged or increases. In an embodiment, after the automatic walking device walks backward by the fifth preset distance, the control module first controls the steering wheel to reduce the first rotation angle to zero degrees, and then controls the automatic walking device to walk forward, so that the automatic walking device walks forward in a direction that keeps the first preset angle unchanged. In another embodiment, the steering wheel can rotate to a sixth rotation angle in a direction that reduces the first rotation angle during the process that the automatic walking device walks forward, and at the same time, the control module controls the automatic walking device to walk forward, so that the automatic walking device walks forward in a direction that increases the first preset angle. As shown in Figure 27 , which is a schematic diagram of reducing the first rotation angle to the sixth rotation angle during the process that the automatic walking device walks forward, where θ3 is the sixth rotation angle. Figure 27 The case where the sixth rotation angle does not reach zero degrees is exemplarily shown in the figure. In actual applications, the sixth rotation angle can be zero degrees, or can exceed zero degrees to become a negative angle, so that the steering wheel can finally be adjusted to an orientation parallel to or away from the working boundary, and thus the boundary escape can be effectively realized in the subsequent steps.

[0114] In some embodiments, when the automatic walking device walks forward by a sixth preset distance based on the sixth rotation angle, the automatic walking device can walk forward along an escape path. The escape path can be a path parallel to or away from the working boundary.

[0115] The path for walking backward by the fifth preset distance can be a path preset for effectively adjusting the posture of the automatic walking device to facilitate subsequent possession of multiple escape paths, for example, it can be path 1 and 2 in Figure 25 and Figure 26 . When the automatic walking device walks forward along the escape path in the subsequent steps, it can effectively avoid contact with the working boundary, and achieve the effect of normal work or turning on other routes. As shown in Figure 27 and Figure 28As shown, the automatic walking device can complete boundary departure along path 3 and path 4 in turn, or along path 3 and path 5 in turn, and during the departure, the steering wheel always rotates in the direction of decreasing the first rotation angle. Finally, when the automatic walking device walks forward according to path 4, it walks along the path parallel to the working boundary; when the automatic walking device walks forward according to path 5, it can effectively realize steering, so as to continue walking according to another path. Through the setting of the departure path, it can effectively ensure that the automatic walking device does not contact the working boundary, and improve the working effect of the automatic walking device.

[0116] In some embodiments, the control device can also be used to control the automatic walking device to walk in the second travel direction if the orientation of the automatic walking device is the second travel direction during the process that the automatic walking device walks forward in the direction that the first preset angle is unchanged or increased. The included angle between the second travel direction and the first travel direction is a second preset angle, which can be an angle greater than or equal to 90 degrees, such as 90 degrees, 150 degrees, 180 degrees, etc., to meet different steering requirements. For example, if the steering requirement is to walk along the working boundary, the second preset angle can be 90 degrees; for example, if the steering requirement is to make a U-turn, the second preset angle can be 180 degrees.

[0117] Please refer to Figure 29 , Figure 29 A flowchart of an automatic walking device steering method according to an embodiment of the present specification. The execution subject of the automatic walking device steering method can be a control device of an automatic walking device, and the automatic walking device can include at least one steering wheel; the automatic walking device steering method can include the following steps.

[0118] S2910: control the automatic walking device to walk backward if the steering condition is met; the steering wheel rotates to a first rotation angle during the process that the automatic walking device walks backward; the orientation of the automatic walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the drive of the steering wheel; the orientation of the automatic walking device is the front of the automatic walking device; the first travel direction is the direction that the automatic walking device walks forward in a straight line; the first rotation angle and the first preset angle are non-zero angles.

[0119] In some embodiments, the automatic walking device can include a driving device for driving the automatic walking device to travel. The driving device can include a steering wheel 1 with a rotatable angle. The steering wheel 1 can be arranged at the center axis position of the body 2; the steering wheel 1 can rotate. By rotating to adjust the angle of the steering wheel 1, the travel direction of the automatic walking device can be controlled.

[0120] In some embodiments, the angle of the steering wheel 1 can be defined as the angle between the radial direction of the steering wheel 1 and the central axis of the body 2. The steering wheel 1 can be rotated, and when the angle between the steering wheel 1 and the central axis is 0 degrees, i.e., the steering wheel 1 is in the same straight line position as the central axis, the automatic walking device can walk along a straight line, such as forward walking or backward walking along a straight line. The steering wheel 1 can be rotated by 180 degrees, i.e., the steering wheel 1 can be rotated to any position within 0-90 degrees in the counterclockwise direction and any position within 0-90 degrees in the clockwise direction when the angle is 0 degrees.

[0121] In some embodiments, the driving device can further include a plurality of driving wheels, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the automatic walking device based on the central axis of the automatic walking device; and the steering wheel 1 and the plurality of driving wheels are arranged in a triangular shape. By arranging the steering wheel 1 and the plurality of driving wheels in a triangular shape, compared with the symmetric arrangement of 2 wheels and 4 wheels in the prior art, the stability of the automatic walking device can be increased, and the automatic walking device can also turn with a smaller turning radius, improving the flexibility of the automatic walking device.

[0122] In the case of meeting the steering condition, the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk backward, so that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first walking direction of the automatic walking device is a first preset angle. Specifically, the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first walking direction of the automatic walking device can be controlled to be the first preset angle based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device, or based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device and the differential speed of the plurality of driving wheels of the automatic walking device.

[0123] In some embodiments, the control of the automatic walking device to walk backward so that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first walking direction of the automatic walking device is a first preset angle includes: rotating the steering wheel of the automatic walking device to a first rotation angle during the walking backward of the automatic walking device, so that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first walking direction of the automatic walking device is a first preset angle.

[0124] Specifically, in the case that the turning condition is met, the turning wheel can be first rotated to the first rotation angle when the state of the automatic walking device changes from advancing in the first advancing direction to the stop state, and then the automatic walking device is controlled to walk backward. Of course, adjusting the angle of the turning wheel 1 in the stop state of the automatic walking device can accelerate the wear of the turning wheel and the wear of the working area. In order to reduce the wear of the turning wheel and the wear of the working area, the angle of the turning wheel can be rotated while the automatic walking device is controlled to walk backward, that is, the turning wheel 1 is rotated to the first rotation angle during the process of walking backward, so that the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is the first preset angle.

[0125] In some embodiments, after the automatic walking device walks backward by the first preset distance, the control device controls the automatic walking device to advance in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced.

[0126] In some embodiments, after the automatic walking device walks backward by the first preset distance, the control device can control the automatic walking device to advance in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced based on the rotation angle of the turning wheel 1 of the automatic walking device, so that the automatic walking device adjusts the advancing direction. Of course, the control device can also control the automatic walking device to advance in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced based on the rotation angle of the turning wheel of the automatic walking device and the differential of the plurality of drive wheels of the automatic walking device, so that the automatic walking device adjusts the advancing direction.

[0127] In some embodiments, the control of the automatic walking device to advance in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced based on the rotation angle of the turning wheel 1 of the automatic walking device can include: rotating the turning wheel in a direction in which the first rotation angle is increased to a second rotation angle during the advancing of the automatic walking device; the second rotation angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees; and rotating the turning wheel in a direction in which the second rotation angle is reduced to a third rotation angle when the automatic walking device advances by a second preset distance according to the second rotation angle. This embodiment can realize the control of the automatic walking device to advance in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced; wherein the third rotation angle is greater than or equal to zero. Specifically, the automatic walking device can perform turning based on a larger second rotation angle during the advancing turning, and when the automatic walking device advances by the second preset distance according to the second rotation angle, the automatic walking device has completed a part of the turning, and the angle of the turning wheel 1 can be returned to a smaller third rotation angle for continuing to advance.

[0128] In some embodiments, the control device can rotate the steering wheel to the second rotation angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle before the automatic walking device starts to walk. Of course, to reduce the wear of the steering wheel and the wear of the working area, the control device can rotate the steering wheel in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle while the automatic walking device is walking, so as to rotate the steering wheel to the second rotation angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle during the walking of the automatic walking device.

[0129] In some embodiments, to further improve the steering flexibility of the automatic walking device and reduce the wear of the steering wheel and the wear of the working area, the control device can rotate the steering wheel in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle multiple times during the walking of the automatic walking device, so as to rotate the steering wheel to the second rotation angle. Specifically, the control device can rotate the steering wheel by a small angle each time, and then rotate the steering wheel multiple times to rotate the steering wheel to the second rotation angle.

[0130] In some embodiments, preferably, the control device can rotate the steering wheel in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle twice during the walking of the automatic walking device, so as to rotate the steering wheel to the second rotation angle. The control device can first rotate the steering wheel to a small angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle, and then rotate the steering wheel to the second rotation angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle after walking a distance according to the small angle. Specifically, the rotating the steering wheel to the second rotation angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle comprises: rotating the steering wheel to a fourth rotation angle in the direction of increasing the first rotation angle during the walking of the automatic walking device; and rotating the steering wheel to the second rotation angle in the direction of increasing the fourth rotation angle when the automatic walking device walks a third preset distance according to the fourth rotation angle.

[0131] In some embodiments, the automatic walking device has completed a part of the turning when the automatic walking device walks a second preset distance according to the second rotation angle, at which time the angle of the turning wheel 1 can be returned to a third rotation angle which is smaller than the second rotation angle to continue walking. To further improve the turning flexibility of the automatic walking device and reduce the wear of the turning wheel and the wear caused to the working area, the control device can rotate the turning wheel in a direction to reduce the second rotation angle multiple times during the walking of the automatic walking device, so that the turning wheel is rotated to the third rotation angle. Specifically, the control device can rotate the angle of the turning wheel multiple times, i.e., only a small angle each time, so that the angle of the turning wheel reaches the third rotation angle after multiple rotations.

[0132] In some embodiments, preferably, the control device can rotate the turning wheel in a direction to reduce the second rotation angle twice during the walking of the automatic walking device, so that the turning wheel is rotated to the third rotation angle. The control device can first rotate the turning wheel in a direction to reduce the second rotation angle to a small angle, then walk a distance according to the small angle to turn, and then rotate the turning wheel in a direction to reduce the second rotation angle to the third rotation angle. Specifically, the rotating the turning wheel in a direction to reduce the second rotation angle to the third rotation angle includes: rotating the turning wheel in a direction to reduce the second rotation angle to a fifth rotation angle during the walking of the automatic walking device; and rotating the turning wheel in a direction to reduce the fifth rotation angle to the third rotation angle when the automatic walking device walks a fourth preset distance according to the fifth rotation angle.

[0133] In some embodiments, the method can further include controlling the automatic walking device to walk in a second walking direction when the orientation of the automatic walking device is the second walking direction; and the included angle between the second walking direction and the first walking direction is a second preset angle. The second preset angle can be, for example, 70 degrees, 90 degrees, 150 degrees, 180 degrees, etc., to meet different turning requirements. For example, the turning requirement is to walk along the working boundary, and the second preset angle can be 90 degrees; for example, the turning requirement is to make a U-turn, and the second preset angle can be 180 degrees.

[0134] In some embodiments, when the automatic walking device walks a seventh preset distance in a direction that reduces the first preset angle, the orientation of the automatic walking device can be determined as a second walking direction, and the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk in the second walking direction. Specifically, the steering wheel can be rotated to zero degrees to make the automatic walking device walk straight in the second walking direction.

[0135] In some embodiments, when the automatic walking device walks an eighth preset distance based on the third rotation angle, the orientation of the automatic walking device can be determined as a second walking direction, and the control device can control the automatic walking device to walk straight in the second walking direction. Specifically, if the third rotation angle is equal to zero degrees, the automatic walking device returns to the state of straight walking, and the control device can control the automatic walking device to keep the state of straight walking and walk in the second walking direction. If the third rotation angle is not equal to zero degrees, the control device can rotate the steering wheel to zero degrees to make the automatic walking device walk straight in the second walking direction.

[0136] The automatic walking device turning method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can control the automatic walking device to walk backward when the turning condition is met, so that the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first walking direction of the automatic walking device form a first preset angle, the orientation of the automatic walking device is the front of the automatic walking device, the first walking direction is the direction in which the automatic walking device walks straight forward, and the first preset angle is a non-zero angle. After the automatic walking device walks a first preset distance, the automatic walking device is controlled to walk in a direction that reduces the first preset angle, thereby solving the problem of large turning radius in the prior art, making the automatic walking device turn with a smaller turning radius, and improving the flexibility of the automatic walking device turning.

[0137] Please refer to Figure 30 On the software level, the embodiments of the present disclosure further provide an automatic walking device turning device, which can specifically include the following structure modules.

[0138] The retreating module 3010 is configured to control the automatic walking device to retreat when the turning condition is met, the turning wheel is rotated to a first rotation angle during the retreat of the automatic walking device, and an angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and a first travel direction of the automatic walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the driving of the turning wheel. The orientation of the automatic walking device is a front direction of the automatic walking device. The first travel direction is a direction in which the automatic walking device travels straight forward. The first rotation angle and the first preset angle are non-zero angles.

[0139] In some embodiments, the automatic walking device turning apparatus further includes a first advancing module configured to control the automatic walking device to travel forward in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced after the automatic walking device retreats by a first preset distance.

[0140] In some embodiments, the control of the automatic walking device to retreat and the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first travel direction of the automatic walking device to be the first preset angle includes rotating a turning wheel of the automatic walking device to the first rotation angle during the retreat of the automatic walking device, and the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first travel direction of the automatic walking device to be the first preset angle.

[0141] In some embodiments, the control of the automatic walking device to travel forward in the direction in which the first preset angle is reduced includes rotating the turning wheel of the automatic walking device to a second rotation angle in a direction in which the first rotation angle is increased during the forward travel of the automatic walking device, the second rotation angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees, and rotating the turning wheel to a third rotation angle in a direction in which the second rotation angle is reduced when the automatic walking device travels forward by a second preset distance according to the second rotation angle.

[0142] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes a second advancing module configured to control the automatic walking device to travel forward in a second travel direction when the orientation of the automatic walking device is the second travel direction, and an angle between the second travel direction and the first travel direction is a second preset angle.

[0143] It should be noted that each of the embodiments in the present specification is described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts of each embodiment can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on the difference from other embodiments. In particular, the device embodiments and the equipment embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, and the description is relatively simple. Please refer to the part of the method embodiments.

[0144] Those skilled in the art, after reading the present specification file, can think of combining any part or all of the embodiments listed in the present specification without creative labor, and these combinations are also within the scope disclosed and protected by the present specification.

[0145] In the 1990s, it was relatively easy to distinguish whether an improvement in a technology was a hardware improvement (e.g., an improvement in the circuit structure of a diode, transistor, switch, etc.) or a software improvement (an improvement in a method flow). However, as technology has advanced, many improvements in method flows today can be considered as direct improvements in hardware circuit structures. Designers almost always obtain the corresponding hardware circuit structures by programming the improved method flows into hardware circuits. Therefore, it cannot be said that an improvement in a method flow cannot be implemented using hardware entity modules. For example, a programmable logic device (PLD) (e.g., a field programmable gate array (FPGA)) is an integrated circuit whose logic function is determined by user programming of the device. A digital system is "integrated" on a PLD by the designer programming the PLD, rather than by ordering a custom integrated circuit chip from a chip fabricator. Moreover, instead of manually fabricating integrated circuit chips, today this programming is most often implemented using "logic compiler" software, which is similar to software compilers used in program development, and the original code to be compiled is written in a non-working programming language, which is called a hardware description language (HDL), and there are many such languages, such as ABEL (Advanced Boolean Expression Language), AHDL (Altera Hardware Description Language), Confluence, CUPL (Cornell University Programming Language), HDCal, JHDL (Java Hardware Description Language), Lava, Lola, MyHDL, PALASM, RHDL (Ruby Hardware Description Language), etc., and the most commonly used are VHDL (Very-High-Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language) and Verilog2. Those skilled in the art should be aware that, as long as the method flow is logically programmed using the above-mentioned hardware description languages and programmed into an integrated circuit, a hardware circuit implementing the logical method flow can be easily obtained.

[0146] The systems, apparatuses, modules, or units illustrated in the above embodiments can be specifically implemented by computer chips or entities, or by products with certain functions. A typical implementation device is a computer. Specifically, the computer can be, for example, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a cellular phone, a camera phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a media player, a navigation device, an email device, a game console, a tablet computer, a wearable device, or a combination of any of these devices.

[0147] From the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the present specification can be implemented by means of software plus necessary universal hardware platforms. Based on such an understanding, the technical solutions of the present specification, in essence, or the parts that make contributions to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product can be stored in a storage medium, such as a ROM / RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, and includes a plurality of instructions to cause a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each of the embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

[0148] Each of the embodiments in the present specification is described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other. Each of the embodiments focuses on the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for the system embodiments, since they are basically similar to the method embodiments, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the part of the description of the method embodiments.

[0149] The present specification can be used in many general or special computer system environments or configurations. For example: a personal computer, a server computer, a handheld device or a portable device, a tablet device, a multi-processor system, a microprocessor-based system, a set-top box, a programmable consumer electronics device, a network PC, a minicomputer, a mainframe computer, a distributed computing environment including any of the above systems or devices, etc.

[0150] The present specification can be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions executed by a computer, such as program modules. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like that perform non-work tasks or implement non-work abstract data types. The present specification can also be practiced in a distributed computing environment, in which tasks are performed by remote processing devices connected by a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in local and remote computer storage media, including storage devices.

[0151] While the present specification has been described with regard to examples, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present specification, and that the present specification is not to be considered as limited to the examples described herein.

Claims

1. An automatic walking device turning method characterized by comprising: The automatic walking device comprises at least one steering wheel; the method comprises: In the case of meeting the steering condition, the automatic walking device is controlled to walk backward; the steering wheel is rotated to a first rotation angle during the walking backward of the automatic walking device; the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the drive of the steering wheel; the orientation of the automatic walking device is the front of the automatic walking device; the first advancing direction is the direction of the automatic walking device walking along a straight line before the automatic walking device performs steering once; the first rotation angle and the first preset angle are non-zero angles; After the control of the automatic walking device walking backward, the automatic walking device is further controlled to walk forward in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced after the automatic walking device walks backward by a first preset distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device, or based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device and the differential speed of the plurality of drive wheels of the automatic walking device, the angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is the first preset angle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device, or based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device and the differential speed of the plurality of drive wheels of the automatic walking device, the automatic walking device walks forward in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The control of the automatic walking device walking forward in a direction in which the first preset angle is reduced comprises: During the forward walking of the automatic walking device, the steering wheel is rotated to a second rotation angle in a direction in which the first rotation angle is increased; the second rotation angle is less than or equal to 90 degrees; When the automatic walking device walks a second preset distance according to the second rotation angle, the steering wheel is rotated to a third rotation angle in a direction in which the second rotation angle is reduced.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The rotation of the steering wheel to the second rotation angle in the direction in which the first rotation angle is increased comprises: During the forward walking of the automatic walking device, the steering wheel is rotated to a fourth rotation angle in a direction in which the first rotation angle is increased; When the automatic walking device walks a third preset distance according to the fourth angle, the steering wheel is rotated to the second rotation angle in a direction in which the fourth rotation angle is increased.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein, The rotation of the steering wheel to the third rotation angle in the direction in which the second rotation angle is reduced comprises: During the forward walking of the automatic walking device, the steering wheel is rotated to a fifth rotation angle in a direction in which the second rotation angle is reduced; When the automatic walking device walks a fourth preset distance according to the fifth rotation angle, the steering wheel is rotated to the third rotation angle in a direction in which the fifth rotation angle is reduced.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, After the control of the automatic walking device walking backward, the method further comprises: When the automatic walking device walks backward to a fifth preset distance, the control device controls the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that keeps the first preset angle unchanged or increases.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, The control device controls the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that increases the first preset angle. During the forward walking of the automatic walking device, the steering wheel is rotated to a sixth rotation angle in a direction that decreases the first rotation angle.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 7, characterized in that, The method further comprises: when the orientation of the automatic walking device is a second walking direction, the control device controls the automatic walking device to walk forward in the second walking direction; and the included angle between the second walking direction and the first walking direction is a second preset angle.

10. An automatic walking apparatus characterized by comprising: The device comprises: a driving device for driving the automatic walking device to walk; the driving device comprises at least one steering wheel with a rotatable angle; a control device for controlling the automatic walking device to walk backward when a steering condition is met; the steering wheel is rotated to a first rotation angle during the backward walking of the automatic walking device; the orientation of the automatic walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the drive of the steering wheel; the orientation of the automatic walking device is the front of the automatic walking device; the first walking direction is the direction in which the automatic walking device walks forward in a straight line; the first rotation angle and the first preset angle are non-zero angles; and after the control device controls the automatic walking device to walk backward, the control device controls the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that decreases the first preset angle after the automatic walking device walks backward by a first preset distance.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The driving device further comprises a plurality of driving wheels; the plurality of driving wheels are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the automatic walking device based on a central axis of the automatic walking device; and the steering wheel is arranged on the central axis; the steering wheel and the plurality of driving wheels are arranged in a triangular shape.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The control device is further configured to: based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device, or based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device and the differential speed of the plurality of driving wheels of the automatic walking device, adjust the included angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and the first walking direction of the automatic walking device to the first preset angle; and based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device, or based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the automatic walking device and the differential speed of the plurality of driving wheels of the automatic walking device, control the automatic walking device to walk forward in a direction that decreases the first preset angle. The automatic walking device comprises at least one steering wheel; and the device comprises:

13. An automatic walking device turning device characterized by comprising: ​ The retreat module is used for controlling the automatic walking device to retreat walking in the case of meeting a turning condition; the turning wheel is rotated to a first rotation angle in the process of the automatic walking device retreating walking; an angle between the orientation of the automatic walking device and a first advancing direction of the automatic walking device is adjusted to a first preset angle under the driving of the turning wheel; the orientation of the automatic walking device is a front direction of the automatic walking device; the first advancing direction is a direction of the automatic walking device walking straight forward; the first rotation angle and the first preset angle are non-zero angles; and after the control of the automatic walking device retreating walking, the automatic walking device is further controlled to walk forward in a direction of reducing the first preset angle by a first preset distance.

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